Neighbours in the street said that the three-storey home was used as a "halfway house", with people "coming and going" over the years.

Croydon Council has confirmed it has no connection to the property but a spokeswoman said the house is owned by a private company and used by Lambeth Council.

A search team arrives at a house in St Paul's Road, Thornton Heath where a 17-year-old was arrested in connection with the Parsons Green terror attack

According to Land Registry documents, the property was bought in February 2013 by the company 35BR Limited for £650,000.

Lambeth Council declined to comment on what it uses the house for and asked the Advertiser to forward all press enquiries to the Metropolitan Police because it is a live investigation.

35BR registered the house in October 2013 as a house in multiple occupation (HMO) – a house with at least three tenants, forming more than one household, with those tenants sharing a toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities.

The Croydon Council HMO register says the property can house up to 13 people, who share six rooms, one kitchen and two bathrooms.

Pamela Emanuel, 54, said about six to eight young men were living at the address in recent months. Ms Emanuel, who lives opposite the cordoned-off home, said there had been police activity in the past at the house, but not recently.

Ms Emanuel, a builder, said: "Every night they [the males] are out here [on the wall] just chatting and having a drink. The maximum age must be 23 or 24 years old but no older than that.

A search team arrives at a house in St Paul's Road, Thornton Heath where a 17-year-old was arrested in connection with the Parsons Green terror attack

"They were smiling, pleasant, they never caused me a problem. They just kept them to themselves. I am shocked this has happened.

"They've been here about four months but I don't know if they all came together."

*If you want to get in touch about the terror arrest, you can email the Croydon Advertiser in confidence. Email samantha.booth@croydonadvertiser.co.uk or call 07388 962959.